Dr Cavey answers questions about Brachytherapy
Dr. Cavey and the Texas Radiotherapy team utilize MRI-assisted radiosurgery (MARS) – the next generation of prostate seed implantation. By integrating high-resolution MRI scans directly into treatment planning and real-time seed placement, MARS delivers pinpoint anatomic precision. This advanced imaging guidance ensures optimal tumor coverage while maximizing the protection of adjacent healthy tissues.
Why Brachytherapy Remains the Gold Standard
Brachytherapy involves placing miniature, rice-grain-sized radioactive seeds directly into the prostate gland under real-time image guidance.
Traditional pelvic radiation can cause urinary urgency, frequent urination, bowel irritation, or erectile dysfunction. Dr. Cavey’s MRI-guided approach precisely maps the prostate margins, sparing the surrounding bladder base, rectal wall, and neurovascular bundles responsible for erectile function. This meticulous dosimetric planning substantially lowers complication rates and preserves long-term urinary, bowel, and sexual wellness.
Dr. Cavey also uses SpaceOAR hydrogel, a rectal spacer, to help protect urinary, bladder and sexual wellness. Dr. Cavey believes in protecting everything that is important to a man, and his goal is to get every man back to their full life, their family and their friends.
Protecting your quality of life
Brachytherapy is a minimally invasive, same-day outpatient procedure. Most patients return home within a few hours and resume normal, non-strenuous daily activities within 2 to 3 days. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting are typically paused for 1 to 2 weeks.
Clinical trials consistently show that prostate brachytherapy achieves cure and disease-free survival rates equal to or superior to radical prostatectomy (surgery) and standard external radiation. Delivering the dose internally maximizes tumor destruction while sparing the surrounding healthy organs.
Yes. To ensure complete patient comfort and absolute immobility for precise seed placement, brachytherapy is performed in an outpatient surgical suite under light general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.
During your initial consultation, Dr. Cavey personally reviews your pathology, PSA history, and imaging (including multiparametric MRI). He will walk you through your exact risk category, discuss whether monotherapy or combination therapy is optimal, and build a tailored treatment plan tailored to your clinical needs and lifestyle goals.
